The present invention relates in general to a magnetic head suspension, a magnetic head assembly, and a magnetic disk drive, and more particularly to a mechanism for loading and unloading a magnetic head slider.
When a magnetic disk drive using a load/unload (L/UL) mechanism for a magnetic head slider is operated, the magnetic head slider flies over a magnetic disk to allow information to be written and read. A suspension provides a predetermined thrust load on the magnetic head slider in a direction toward a magnetic disk surface. This thrust load balances a pressure of an air flow produced between the magnetic head slider and the magnetic disk surface. A clearance between the magnetic head slider and the magnetic disk, or a flying height of the magnetic head slider is thereby maintained at a predetermined value. When no write or read operation occurs, the magnetic head slider is unloaded out of the disk. During a write or read operation, on the other hand, the magnetic head slider is again loaded onto the disk.
FIG. 9 shows a conventional magnetic head assembly. The L/UL suspension in many of the conventional magnetic head assemblies uses a mechanism (limiter) 5 for limiting a position of the magnetic head slider. The limiter 5 functions to limit the position of a magnetic head slider 4 even with an input of impact applied thereto during an inoperative state, thereby preventing the magnetic head slider 4 and a flexure 3 from being damaged. The limiter 5 also helps the magnetic head slider 4 take off from the disk surface by counteracting a negative pressure the magnetic head slider 4 produces as the slider 4 is to be unloaded.
If the flexure 3, to which the magnetic head slider 4 is attached, is about to leave a load beam 2 a given distance or more, the limiter 5 is engaged with the load beam 2, thereby limiting the motion of the flexure 3. The limiter 5 also functions to assure a degree of freedom, with which the magnetic head slider 4 comfortably follows the disk in an ordinary flying state. Specifically, there is provided an ample clearance to ensure that the limiter 5 will not be in contact with the load beam 2, thus disrupting the flying state, even with a varying setting height or inclination between an actuator arm 6 and the disk, or part-to-part variations, and the like.
An L/UL lift tab 1 is provided at a leading end of the load beam 2. The limiter 5 is provided on the side of an air inflow end of the magnetic head slider 4. The lift tab 1 rides on a ramp mechanism, which causes the magnetic head slider 4 to be unloaded from the magnetic disk surface. Should the lift tab 1 undergo elastic deformation as a result of its riding on the ramp mechanism, the limiter clearance does not become small. It is therefore not possible to limit fluctuations in the position of the magnetic head slider 4 in a pitch direction.
Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-76812) discloses an invention that provides a slider position control mechanism for providing a connection between the air inflow end of the slider and the load beam in order to control an angle of contact of the slider with the disk. Patent Document 2 (Japanese Translations of PCT for Patent No. Hei 11-500852) discloses an invention, in which the load beam is provided with a mechanism for limiting a pitching motion of the slider in order to limit pitching of the slider occurring from impact applied when a head stack assembly is assembled into position.